Abstract
Research in the field of sustainability has been dominated by an instrumental logic in which social and environmental aspects are reduced to their ability to generate financial benefits. However, the increasing problems facing society are highlighting the need to change this logic. In this context, a growing body of literature is developing around what are known as hybrid organisations, entities characterised by their combination of a social and/or environmental mission with the pursuit of economic benefit. This research uses a descriptive case study approach in order to examine how a Spanish winery—Celler la Muntanya—has implemented a sustainable business model to create positive social and environmental change. The agricultural sector is receiving increasing attention in the sustainability field because of its impact on society and the territory. In addition, agricultural activity generates tensions between social/environmental dimensions—such as the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity—and economic benefits. Our case study draws on the ‘sustainability-driven hybrid business model’ and its three basic elements: social and environmental change as organizational objective; mutually beneficial relationships with stakeholders; and progressive interaction with markets, competitors and industry institutions. Our findings contribute to the literature by helping to explain how agricultural organisations can implement their business model based on sustainability criteria.
Highlights
Over the last two decades, corporate sustainability has emerged as a line of inquiry of great relevance in the field of management [1,2]
Single case studies are used to analyse a case that, due to its significance, is considered valid enough to draw conclusions [44]. Such studies offer the possibility to analyse the phenomenon studied in depth when “how” and “why” questions are addressed [45]. This is our purpose in selecting a representative case study—a Spanish winery, Celler la Muntanya—to examine how a sustainability-driven hybrid business model is implemented in order to create positive social and environmental change
Social and Environmental Change as Organisational Objective. Sensibility to their territory and the desire to improve the life of vineyard smallholders demonstrate that Celler la Muntanya (CLM) is motivated by the objectives of social and environmental change
Summary
Over the last two decades, corporate sustainability has emerged as a line of inquiry of great relevance in the field of management [1,2]. Research in this field has traditionally adopted a perspective focused on organisation and value creation, with an approach clearly biased towards economic aspects, thereby reducing the consideration of social and environmental factors to their ability to generate financial benefits [3,4,5,6,7] Authors such as Markman and Krause [8] affirm the need for a paradigm shift, referring to transition from a ‘do-no-harm’ approach to a more proactive ‘do-good’ philosophy that will regenerate and improve the natural environment. Maintaining the instrumental logic of the current triple bottom line approach has only limited the progress towards true sustainability [10]
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